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Amphigorey: Fifteen Books Paperback – January 28, 1980
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In this gorgeously detailed volume, American artist and author Edward Gorey accents amphigory (nonsense verse or composition) with his signature cross-hatched pen-and-ink drawings. A mix of poetry and prose, light-hearted and decidedly more morbid storytelling, the book is sure to satisfy both fans of art and lovers of short stories alike.
Stories included:
"The Unstrung Harp"
"The Listing Attic"
"The Doubtful Guest"
"The Object Lesson"
"The Bug Book"
"The Fatal Lozenge"
"The Hapless Child"
"The Curious Sofa"
"The Willowdale Handcar"
"The Gashlycrumb Tinies"
"The Insect God"
"The West Wing"
"The Wuggly Ump"
"The Sinking Spell"
"The Remembered Visit"
- Print length192 pages
- LanguageEnglish
- PublisherG.P. Putnam's Sons
- Publication dateJanuary 28, 1980
- Dimensions8 x 0.52 x 11 inches
- ISBN-100399504338
- ISBN-13978-0399504334
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Editorial Reviews
Amazon.com Review
Many of Gorey's tales involve untimely deaths and dreadful mishaps, but much like tragic Irish ballads with their perky rhythms and melodies, they come off as strangely lighthearted. "The Gashlycrumb Tinies," for example, begins like this: "A is for AMY who fell down the stairs, B is for BASIL assaulted by bears," and so on. An eccentric, funny book for either the uninitiated or diehard Gorey fans.
About the Author
Product details
- Publisher : G.P. Putnam's Sons (January 28, 1980)
- Language : English
- Paperback : 192 pages
- ISBN-10 : 0399504338
- ISBN-13 : 978-0399504334
- Item Weight : 1.32 pounds
- Dimensions : 8 x 0.52 x 11 inches
- Best Sellers Rank: #51,050 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #55 in Literary Graphic Novels (Books)
- #99 in Comic Strips (Books)
- #159 in Fantasy Graphic Novels (Books)
- Customer Reviews:
About the author
Edward Gorey (1925-2000) wrote and illustrated such popular books as The Doubtful Guest, The Gashlycrumb Tinies, and The Headless Bust. He was also a very successful set and costume designer, earning a Tony Award for his Broadway production of Edward Gorey's Dracula. Animated sequences of his work have introduced the PBS series Mystery! since 1980.
Customer reviews
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Edward Gorey is quirky to say the least and this is reflected in his work. His drawings are works of art and patient attention to detail. I love the complexity of the backgrounds and his odd looking characters. It is a bit like Dr. Seuss for those with a weird and morbid sense of humor. Amphigorey contains 15 books, including my favorites The Doubtful Guest, The Unstrung Harp, The Hapless Child, The Curious Sofa, and of course The Gashlycrumb Tinies. This book is part nonesense rhymes, part macabre morality tales, and part astute life observations. If you consider yourself to have a twisted sense of humor, this will be a great book for you. For those who are not familiar with Gorey, The Gashlycrumb Tinies is a great introduction. It is book that teaches the alphabet and each letter is represented by a child and how that child dies. Hilarious, right? In fact, throughout Gorey’s work children are often victims of tragic-comic endings. If you don’t appreciate that type of humor, this is not the book for you.
The rhymes, stories, and word play are genius. The Edwardian illustrations are amazing. What I really love about Edward Gorey’s work is the multiple layers. You can breeze through this book and read it for fun. You can laugh at all the character and place names (ie; C. F Earbrass an author who lives in a home called Hobbies Odd in the town of Mortshire). So clever! You can analyze the content and pour over the drawings. No matter how you approach it, Amphigorey is a book that you can read over and over and you will gain something new each time. I read portions of this book to my husband, who was not familiar with Edward Gorey. The experience seemed to cement his impression that his wife is a weirdo, but he did laugh at the text and illustrations!
A note on my copy of this book. Others have complained about light text and drawings. That was not the case with my edition, first published in 1980. However, the last four books in the compilation are a bit mixed up. The West Wing is interrupted by The Sinking Spell and the beginning of The Remembered Visit. Then the remainder of The West Wing appears, The Wuggly Ump is next, and then The Remembered Visit finishes. At first I was not sure if this was some purposeful Gorey humor. Who knows, maybe my book will be a rare edition some day.
Gorey pretty much made a successful career out of being an eccentric. Reclusive, a nearly obsessive fan of ballet, sneakered and fur-coat garbed, and with a house full of cats, his graphic art and illustrated poetry projected such an oddly distinctive ambience that many people thought that he was either British and/or had lived and died in the late Victorican age. In fact, he was American born and raised, lived from 1925 - 2000, hardly ever traveled far from his New England home, and was a dedicated follower of the soap operas on daytime television.
In his early career, in the 1950s, he self-published a number of (literally) small single-work volumes which he wrote and illustrated himself. These volumes sport such interesting titles as "The Unstrung Harp," "The Doubtful Guest," "The Listing Attic," and "The Curious Sofa." Much of his work has a slightly uneasy macabre cast to it, frequently with morbid outcomes, although any violence is nearly always suggestive rather than outright. Since his death many of these small books have been re-released in modern, UPC adorned editions, and the original limited editions have been known to fetch some significant collectors' prices.
The "Amphigory" books are collections of several of these short pieces into single larger volumes, with the "Amphigory" volume, containing 15 works, being the first of these. This, along with two other collections:
.. "Amphigory, Too"
.. "Amphigory Also"
... were published during Gorey's lifetime. The fourth volume, "Amphigory Again" is a posthumous collection of his work. The volumes are not connected in any way other than all being Gorey's work, and may be enjoyed independently, and in any order.
If you are a Gorey enthusiast, you probably already own either this volume, or at least editions of several of the short works therein. If not, you should purchase one, posthaste.
On the other hand, if you are unfamiliar with, but curious about Gorey and his work, this is a recommended first aquisition. You may or may not find it a little creepy; either way, you may also find yourself curiously emeshed in the world of Mr. Earbrass, fantods, and the Doubtful Guest, in which case you should certainly run out and buy the other three "Amphigory" volumes. You will almost have to. :)
Top reviews from other countries
De qualquer forma, a obra garante maravilhosos momentos a qualquer um que lembra como era ser criança, quando a realidade era extremamente mais fascinante e maleável. E a todos que não lembram, é uma ótima oportunidade de buscar aquela criança fantasiosa que possivelmente ainda vive em algum quarto esquecido e empoeirado da mansão da sua psiquê-alma.
Also, disappointed to see that the price tag on the back was Rs. 999 but the seller (uRead) charged Rs. 1384.12 (photo attached).
Reviewed in India on April 20, 2019
Also, disappointed to see that the price tag on the back was Rs. 999 but the seller (uRead) charged Rs. 1384.12 (photo attached).